SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM

Get a comprehensive performance analysis of your gaming rig with detailed benchmarks, bottleneck detection, and upgrade recommendations

83 / 100
HIGH-END

Power Build

Top 17% of systems. Excellent for 1440p Ultra or 4K High gaming.

1440p Ultra4K High

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio
Well Balanced
CPU
91%
VS
GPU
74%
PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 5 225

36,938 Benchmark Score
Top 9% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →
GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM

0 Benchmark Score
Top 26% Market Ranking
View Full Specs →

Market Position

How your build compares to others
Budget
0-30
Mid-Range
30-60
High-End
60-85
Enthusiast
85-100
Your Build

Game Performance Benchmarks

Real-world 4K FPS in popular titles
View All Games →

Performance Insights

Tips to maximize your system

Strong Performance

Excellent for 1440p gaming. Most games will run at high/ultra settings smoothly.

Compatible Games See what you can play Compare CPUs Find upgrades Compare GPUs Find upgrades

Performance Tiers Explained

90-100

Ultimate

4K Ultra gaming, VR ready, ray tracing enabled, professional workloads

4K 60+ FPS VR Ready
70-89

High-End

1440p Ultra or 4K High settings, excellent for modern AAA titles

1440p Ultra 4K High
50-69

Mid-Range

1080p Ultra or 1440p Medium, great value for most gamers

1080p Ultra 1440p Med
30-49

Entry Level

1080p Medium settings, suitable for eSports and older titles

1080p Med eSports
0-29

Legacy

Basic gaming, older titles, consider upgrading for modern games

720p-1080p Low Older Games

# CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake-S architecture, representing the Core Ultra Series 2 generation. Fabricated on a 3 nm process node by TSMC, this chip packs 17,800 million transistors into a 243 mm² die. The base clock sits at 3.30 GHz with a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, and the processor carries a 65 W TDP. Cache configuration includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The chip does not feature a 3D V-Cache option, and the multiplier is locked, meaning overclocking is not supported.

The benchmark results reveal a processor that performs exceptionally well in single-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ultra 5 225 scores 3,655 points, while in R20 single-core it reaches 891 points, and R15 single-core nets 368 points. These figures place the CPU in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, indicating strong per-core performance that translates directly to responsiveness in everyday applications, legacy software, and lightly threaded tasks such as web browsing, office productivity, and general system navigation.

Multi-threaded performance is equally noteworthy. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25,891 points, R20 multi-core score of 6,317 points, and R15 multi-core score of 2,609 points demonstrate that this 10-core processor handles parallel workloads effectively. The PassMark multi-thread score of 30,459 points and the PassMark integer math score of 65,345 points corroborate this picture. While the 10 threads (without hyper-threading) limit peak multi-threaded throughput compared to higher-core-count processors, the combination of modern Arrow Lake architecture and a 3 nm process yields excellent efficiency per thread.

The nearest rivals provide context for the Ultra 5 225's positioning. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F scores 36,945 in average benchmark score, essentially matching the Ultra 5 225's 36,938 average with a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37,018, which is 0.2% higher, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 scores 37,093, 0.4% higher. The Intel Core i9-12900T scores 37,112, 0.5% higher. These deltas are trivial—within noise margins—meaning the Ultra 5 225 trades blows with these established processors across the board.

The integrated graphics solution is the Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU, which provides basic display output capabilities but is not intended for gaming or GPU-accelerated workloads. For a desktop build targeting anything beyond light graphical tasks, a discrete GPU is essential. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, and ECC memory is not supported.

# Benchmark Performance

The Core Ultra 5 225 achieves an average benchmark score of 36,938, placing it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs. This is a strong result that positions the processor firmly in the upper tier of desktop CPUs. The nearest rivals—AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36,945, AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37,018, AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37,093, and Intel Core i9-12900T at 37,112—are all within 0.5% of the Ultra 5 225's score. This clustering indicates that the Ultra 5 225 delivers performance parity with these well-established alternatives, making it a competitive choice in its segment.

The GPU in this pairing is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM, based on the GA104 chip using the Ampere architecture. Manufactured on an 8 nm process by Samsung, the GPU contains 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die. The RTX 3070 TiM carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. With 5,888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, 96 raster output units, 46 RT cores, and 184 tensor cores, the GPU offers 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and equal FP16 throughput at a 1:1 ratio. The GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs is 50th percentile, placing it exactly at the median of the GPU performance distribution.

The RTX 3070 TiM has no benchmark scores listed in the fact pack, so its performance must be inferred from its architectural specifications and percentile placement. The 50th percentile ranking suggests mid-pack performance relative to all GPUs, which is consistent with an 8 GB Ampere-class card that sits between entry-level and high-end offerings.

The combined percentile for this CPU+GPU pairing is 68, indicating that the system as a whole outperforms roughly two-thirds of all desktop configurations in the database. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking is notably stronger than the GPU's 50th percentile, showing that the processor is the higher-performing component in this pairing relative to its peers.

For the RTX 3070 TiM, the 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute suggest strong 1080p and 1440p gaming performance, with 4K gaming being possible but requiring settings adjustments. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for current titles at 1080p and 1440p with high textures, but may become a limiting factor in VRAM-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions with maximum texture quality.

# Upgrade Path and Platform

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 uses the Intel Socket 1851 platform, which is the current mainstream desktop socket for Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 processors. The platform supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. PCIe Gen 5 is supported with 20 lanes available from the CPU, providing ample bandwidth for the fastest NVMe SSDs and current-generation graphics cards. The RTX 3070 TiM uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, which will operate without bottlenecking on the Gen 5 capable platform.

The CPU's 65 W TDP is modest, and the GPU's 220 W TDP is typical for a mid-range to upper-mid-range graphics card. The suggested PSU for the GPU is 550 W, which provides adequate headroom for this pairing in a typical desktop configuration. Users building with this CPU+GPU combination should ensure their power supply meets this recommendation, though the 65 W CPU TDP leaves room for additional components such as multiple storage drives, RGB lighting, and peripherals without approaching the PSU's limits.

For users considering future upgrades, the Socket 1851 platform offers a path to higher-core-count Arrow Lake processors without changing the motherboard. The DDR5 memory support is current-generation, and the PCIe Gen 5 lanes provide forward compatibility with next-generation GPUs and storage devices. However, the locked multiplier on the Ultra 5 225 means that users seeking performance gains through overclocking would need to consider a K-series processor instead. The platform does not support ECC memory, which is a consideration for workstation use cases that require error-correcting memory.

A sensible next upgrade for this system would be a higher-tier GPU, as the CPU's 85th percentile ranking indicates it has headroom to drive more powerful graphics cards. The RTX 3070 TiM's 50th percentile ranking is the weaker link in this pairing, and upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant performance gains in GPU-bound workloads such as gaming at high resolutions and GPU-accelerated rendering.

# Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: The combination of the Ultra 5 225's strong single-threaded performance (3,655 points in Cinebench R23 single-core) and the RTX 3070 TiM's 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute makes this system well-suited for high-refresh gaming at 1080p and 1440p. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking ensures it can keep up with the GPU in frame generation, while the GPU's 50th percentile positioning means it will deliver solid frame rates in competitive titles, though esports at maximum refresh rates may require lower settings.

Streaming: The CPU's 10 threads and 65 W TDP provide a capable foundation for software encoding, but the GPU's 184 tensor cores and NVENC-capable Ampere architecture are better suited for hardware-accelerated streaming. The 20 MB of L3 cache helps maintain frame pacing during concurrent gaming and encoding workloads. Streamers targeting 1080p60 output will find this configuration adequate, though the 8 GB VRAM may limit the ability to run games at maximum textures while encoding simultaneously.

Video Editing: The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25,891 points indicates strong performance in rendering and export tasks, which are typically multi-threaded. The GPU's 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute accelerates effects, transitions, and GPU-accelerated encoding in modern editing software. The 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supports smooth timeline scrubbing with high-resolution footage, and the 8 GB VRAM provides enough capacity for 4K editing timelines with moderate effects stacks.

3D Rendering: The CPU's multi-threaded performance (25,891 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core) handles CPU-based rendering engines effectively, while the GPU's 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores accelerate ray-traced and AI-accelerated rendering workloads. The 102.4 GB/s system memory bandwidth and 448.0 GB/s GPU memory bandwidth provide the data throughput needed for complex scenes. This system is suitable for freelance 3D artists and small studios working on projects that do not exceed the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity.

Software Development: The CPU's single-threaded performance (4,412 points in PassMark single-thread) excels at compilation tasks that are often single-threaded, while the 10 cores handle parallel builds efficiently. The PassMark data encryption score of 22,285 points indicates strong cryptographic performance for secure development workflows. The 20 MB of L3 cache reduces latency in iterative compilations, and the 65 W TDP makes this an efficient choice for developers who run their workstations for extended periods.

Student and Office Work: The Ultra 5 225's 85th percentile ranking and efficient 3 nm process make this an excellent platform for academic and office workloads. The PassMark data compression score of 302,811 points accelerates file archiving and document processing, while the single-threaded strength ensures snappy application launches and responsive multitasking. The 65 W TDP keeps power consumption modest, which is beneficial for prolonged use in dorm rooms or offices with limited cooling.

# Gaming Performance

No measured FPS data exists for this exact CPU+GPU combination, as the fact pack contains no measuredFps entries for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM. All frame rate figures discussed here are estimates derived from the benchmark scores and architectural characteristics of both components.

Based on the GPU's 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM, estimated gaming performance suggests strong 1080p and 1440p capability. The GPU's 50th percentile ranking places it at the median of all GPUs, which typically corresponds to high settings at 1080p and medium-to-high settings at 1440p in demanding AAA titles. In esports titles such as competitive shooters and MOBAs, frame rates should exceed 144 FPS at 1080p with competitive settings, making this system suitable for high-refresh monitors.

At 4K resolution, the 8 GB VRAM and 256-bit memory bus will likely limit performance to medium or high settings in recent AAA releases, with frame rates in the 40-60 FPS range depending on the title's optimization. The CPU's strong single-threaded performance ensures that it will not be the limiting factor in most gaming scenarios, allowing the GPU to operate at its full potential.

The RTX 3070 TiM's 46 RT cores enable ray-traced effects in supported titles, though enabling ray tracing at high resolutions will significantly impact frame rates. DLSS support, enabled by the 184 tensor cores, can offset these performance impacts by rendering at lower internal resolutions and upscaling, making ray-traced gaming more feasible at 1440p.

Given the CPU's 85th percentile ranking, users upgrading from an older platform will likely see improved frame pacing and reduced stuttering in CPU-bound scenarios, even if average frame rates are similar to previous systems with comparable GPUs.

# FAQ

Q: What is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225's socket and does it support DDR5?

A: The processor uses the Intel Socket 1851 and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 225 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 36,938 places it within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36,945), AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37,018), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37,093), and Intel Core i9-12900T (37,112), indicating performance parity.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Ultra 5 225 includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units, which provides basic display output but is not suitable for gaming or GPU-accelerated workloads.

Q: What is the suggested power supply wattage for this GPU?

A: The suggested PSU for the RTX 3070 TiM is 550 W, accommodating the GPU's 220 W TDP and the CPU's 65 W TDP.

Q: Is the CPU overclockable?

A: No, the multiplier is locked on the Core Ultra 5 225, so overclocking is not supported.

Q: What PCIe generation does the CPU support?

A: The CPU supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes available from the CPU, while the GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface.

# Who Should Build It

This system targets users who prioritize CPU performance in a desktop form factor. The Ultra 5 225's 85th percentile ranking makes it an excellent choice for gamers who play at 1080p or 1440p and want to ensure their processor is not a bottleneck, while the RTX 3070 TiM's 50th percentile position delivers solid mid-range graphics capability.

Content creators working with video editing and 3D rendering will benefit from the CPU's multi-threaded strength (25,891 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core) and the GPU's 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. Software developers will appreciate the strong single-threaded performance (4,412 points in PassMark single-thread) for compilation tasks, and the 10 cores provide adequate parallelism for build processes.

Students and office workers will find the 65 W TDP and efficient 3 nm process appealing for prolonged daily use, while the strong single-threaded performance ensures responsive application behavior. Small business workstations requiring reliable multi-tasking performance without excessive power draw will also find this pairing suitable, provided the workloads do not exceed the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity.

# Build Overview

This is a desktop build (buildClass: desktop) that pairs the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM. The CPU is a mainstream 10-core processor from Intel's Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm TSMC process. The GPU is an Ampere-architecture card from NVIDIA's GeForce 30-series, featuring 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute.

The combined percentile for this pairing is 68, meaning the system outperforms approximately 68% of all desktop configurations in the database. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking is significantly stronger than the GPU's 50th percentile, indicating that the processor is the higher-performing component relative to its peers.

This pairing represents a balanced mid-range desktop configuration with a CPU that has headroom for future GPU upgrades. The platform supports current-generation DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5, providing a solid foundation for years of service. The system is well-suited for gaming, content creation, development, and general productivity, with the CPU being the standout component in this pairing.

# Balance and Bottleneck

The balance between the Core Ultra 5 225 and the RTX 3070 TiM is skewed toward the CPU. With the CPU at the 85th percentile and the GPU at the 50th percentile, the processor is clearly the stronger component in this pairing. In GPU-bound workloads such as gaming at high resolutions or GPU-accelerated rendering, the RTX 3070 TiM will be the limiting factor, preventing the CPU from being fully utilized.

In CPU-bound workloads such as compilation, data compression, and lightly threaded productivity tasks, the Ultra 5 225 will operate near its full potential, while the GPU remains underutilized. The PassMark data compression score of 302,811 points and integer math score of 65,345 points demonstrate that the CPU excels in these tasks, and the GPU's 50th percentile position means it will not contribute significantly to these workloads.

For gaming at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU's strong single-threaded performance (3,655 points in Cinebench R23 single-core) ensures it can feed frames to the GPU without becoming a bottleneck. However, at lower resolutions and with less demanding graphics settings, the RTX 3070 TiM's 50th percentile performance will likely cap frame rates, making the GPU the limiting component.

The 8 GB VRAM of the GPU may also become a bottleneck in VRAM-intensive scenarios, such as 4K gaming with maximum textures or large 3D scenes. In these cases, the CPU's capabilities will go partially unused while the GPU struggles with memory capacity. Users seeking a more balanced system would benefit from a higher-tier GPU, as the CPU's 85th percentile ranking indicates it has substantial headroom to support more powerful graphics cards without becoming a limitation.

# GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TiM is an Ampere-architecture GPU built on the GA104 chip, manufactured by Samsung on an 8 nm process. The die contains 17,400 million transistors across 392 mm², with a transistor density of 44.4 million per square millimeter. The GPU operates at a base clock of 915 MHz with a boost clock of 1,410 MHz, and the memory runs at 1,750 MHz, yielding 14 Gbps effective GDDR6 speed.

The memory subsystem comprises 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This configuration provides adequate throughput for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 8 GB capacity may be insufficient for texture-heavy workloads at 4K resolution or for large machine learning models. The pixel rate of 135.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 259.4 GTexel/s indicate solid rasterization performance for the GPU's class.

The RTX 3070 TiM features 5,888 shading units, 184 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The 46 RT cores provide dedicated hardware for ray-traced effects, while the 184 tensor cores enable DLSS upscaling and AI-accelerated workloads. The GPU delivers 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and equal FP16 throughput at a 1:1 ratio, making it suitable for both gaming and compute tasks.

The GPU carries a 220 W TDP and requires a 550 W suggested PSU. It is a triple-slot card measuring 270 mm in length, 140 mm in height, and 55 mm in width, with a single 8-pin power connector. Display outputs include 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with current and upcoming titles.

With a 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs, the RTX 3070 TiM sits at the median of graphics card performance. Its 16.60 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth place it in the mid-range segment, capable of handling modern games at 1080p and 1440p with high settings, while 4K gaming requires compromises in settings or resolution scaling. The production status is end-of-life, with the GeForce 40-series as its successor, but the GPU remains a viable option for mid-range desktop builds.